Steven Spielberg and Bradley Cooper are joining forces to make a new Bullitt movie, based on the character famously played by Steve McQueen in the 1968 cop thriller movie. Deadline‘s sources are adamant this is not a remake of the original film, but a new idea centered on the character.
Steve McQueen’s no-nonsense San Francisco cop was loosely based on real-life detective Dave Toschi. McQueen copied Toschi’s unusual quick-draw shoulder holster, in which he kept his gun upside-down. Toschi was also the inspiration for Clint Eastwood‘s iconic character Dirty Harry. Toschi was played by Mark Ruffalo in David Fincher’s 2007 true-crime masterpiece Zodiac.
1968’s Bullitt features one of the most famous car chases of all time, on the San Francisco streets which have extremely steep gradients. Cooper and Spielberg reportedly discussed the movie during the time period when film productions were on lockdown. Cooper is currently working on Maestro, in which he plays Leonard Bernstein. Cooper is also the writer and director, and he’ll be hoping to replicate the success of A Star is Born.
Steven Spielberg seems to be looking to Hollywood history for inspiration recently. In 2021, he made a new version of West Side Story, which already had a famous movie adaptation in 1961. Spielberg looking to 1960s movies for inspiration makes sense as that’s when he was a teenager and in his early 20s. The teenaged Spielberg is explored in his new semi-autobiographical film The Fabelmans.
Steven Spielberg will be hoping for Oscar success in 2023 with The Fabelmans. Spielberg has been nominated for 14 Oscars, winning three. Bradley Cooper has been nominated for 9 Oscars, winning none. If they do end up teaming up for Bullitt, those little gold men can surely not be far behind.
While we wait for more news about Bullitt, check out our guide to the best action movies.